Sarah Connolly, John Tomlinson and Thomas Allen announced for the Glyndebourne Tour Golden Anniversary Celebration

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Glyndebourne is marking the 50th anniversary of the Glyndebourne Tour in 2018 and will celebrate with a gala concert of opera highlights at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London on 4 December, featuring distinguished artists that have taken part in the Tour over the decades. Sarah Connolly, John Tomlinson, Thomas Allen and the conductor Louis Langrée are the first performers announced for the event.

Launched in 1968 by Sir George Christie, the purpose of the Tour is to make Glyndebourne’s productions accessible to larger audiences and to champion new talent.

All three confirmed singers were members of the Glyndebourne Chorus, and the Tour has frequently drawn soloists from that ensemble.

Legendary bass John Tomlinson joined the Chorus in 1970 and the following year performed two small solo roles in Die Zauberflöte for the Tour. Mezzo-soprano Sarah Connolly gave her first Tour performance in Rodelinda in 1998, the year in which she made her international breakthrough in the title role of Xerxes at English National Opera. Baritone Thomas Allen is renowned for his portrayal of Don Giovanni, a role he first performed at Glyndebourne in 1977, initially for the Festival before taking it on Tour that autumn.

French conductor Louis Langrée was Music Director of Glyndebourne Tour from 1998 - 2002 and conducted eight operas on Tour. He is currently Music Director of the Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center in New York and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

More performers will be announced in the coming weeks.

All proceeds from the celebration concert will be used to invest in the future of the Glyndebourne Tour.